This invention relates to a weather resistant building enclosure and in particular to a building of the type used for protecting against inclement weather. Such building enclosures have various purposes, such as coverings for residential building sites, pool enclosures, animal exercise barns, tennis court enclosures and the like.
In the past, attempts have been made to design temporary building structures which are suitable among other things, to temporarily enclose construction sites to prevent the effects of inclement weather. An example of such a building enclosure is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,617 in the name of H. Stern, dated Feb. 8, 1966. This patent discloses an interior frame which is covered with a flexible covering made from canvas, plastic film or the like. The drawings in this patent disclose a sheet film completely covering the skeleton; however the disclosure suggests that the covering may also be made from interconnectable panels. No disclosure is made of such panels, or their structure nor how such panels might be interconnected or secured to the skeletal frame.
Further, this patent teaches the use of a plurality of straight plank base members defining an outer perimeter of a rectangular base for the enclosure. The skeleton framework is secured to the base and the base is secured to the ground. Then, a covering is disposed over this skeleton framework.
There are several disadvantages to the temporary enclosure taught by this prior patent. Firstly, where the covering is flexible, it may be easily ripped especially where the covering is used over a construction site. In addition, the flexible covering will tend to bow inwardly upon being loaded from above by, for example, snow, rain or the like. This will cause the flexible covering to deform and may eventually lead to failure of the outer covering. Further, the cover could easily be ripped in high winds such as may be associated with a winter storm. In addition, the structure relies upon being secured to a base plank which is in turn secured to the ground for stability against wind. This makes the structure difficult to disengage and move in the event that a particular building is completed and the enclosure is to be moved elsewhere.